COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

HEALTH – MAPEH 9 ǀ TUTORIAL 2021

ǀ ONLINE CLASS SEASON 2

COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY

HEALTH COMMUNITY

▪ A clean and safe physical

Community and environmental conditions
environment
greatly affect the health of the people. It is
▪ An environment that meets
then important for you to understand the
everyone’s basic needs.
relationship of community and
▪ An environment that promotes social
environmental conditions to human health.
harmony and actively involves
everyone.
▪ HEALTH – According to World Health
▪ An understanding of local and
Organization or WHO, Health is a
environmental issues.
state of complete physical, mental,
▪ A community that participates in
and social well – being and not just the
identifying local solutions to local
absence of disease or infirmity. It
problems.
leads to the ability to lead a social and
▪ A community, whose members have
economically productive lie.
access to varied experiences, means
▪ COMMUNITY – defined as a social
of interaction, and communication.
group in a large place sharing one
▪ Accessible and appropriate health
environment. It therefore includes the
services and facilities.
individual and the family.
▪ The promotion and celebration of
▪ COMMUNITY HEALTH – defined as
historical and cultural heritage
the art and science of maintaining,
▪ A diverse and innovative economy
protecting, and improving the health
▪ A sustainable use of available source
of all the members of the community
for all.
through organized and sustained
community efforts.
Why is a healthy environment important?
▪ ENVIRONMENT – refers to all things,
▪ Environment is composed of all
conditions, and influences that affect
external conditions, circumstances,
the growth, health, and process of
and influences surrounding a person.
living and non – living things.
People interact with the environment
▪ ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH –
constantly. A person’s health is a
comprises those aspects of human
product of his or her environment. The
health that are determined by
condition of the environment will
physical, chemical, biological, social,
somehow dictate your health status
and psychological factors in the
and of the people living in that
surrounding environment.
environment. Healthy environment is
Page 1|6
 essential for human health and well –
being. Everyone must help in making
the environment healthy because this
increases quality of life and years of
healthy life.
The community and environmental health
problems we are confronted with are usually
man – made or caused by humans. The
following are some of these problems:
IMPROPER WASTE DISPOSAL
Waste improperly disposed of
contaminates the soil, air, and water. This
brings risks to humans, animals, and plants.
Figure 1. Improper Waste Disposal
Effects of Improper Waste Disposal
▪ People who live near or within
dumpsites are susceptible to various
diseases.
▪ Insects and pests in open dumpsites
are disease vectors.
▪ Methane gases from dumpsites can
affect the health of exposed
populations and can contribute to
global warming.
▪ Destruction of infrastructures due to
clogged waterways that can result to
increased flooding.
Eradicating the Improper Waste Disposal
▪ Observe proper segregation
▪ Observe the 3 Rs – reduce, reuse,
and recycle
▪ Limit or avoid using non –
biodegradable materials like plastic;
they don’t decay, and they pile up
and clog waterways.
POLLUTION
Pollution is an adverse effect in the
environment brought about by pollutants.
Pollutant is a harmful substance, compound,
or energy.
AIR POLLUTION – refers to the
contamination of the air that occurs when
harmful gases, dust, and smoke are mixed
with the air in the atmosphere making it
dangerous to living things.
Figure 2. Air Pollution in Manila, Philippines
Causes of Air Pollution
▪ Fossil fuels emission such as the
emissions from vehicles.
▪ Improper waster disposal such as
burning of garbage and dumping of
waste in inappropriate places
▪ Exhaust from factories and industries
▪ Household products like paint, insect
spray, and others
Page 2|6
 ▪ Agricultural activities such as spraying
of pesticides on plants
It is known to cause respiratory and heart
problems. Several millions are known to
have died due to direct or indirect effects of
air pollution. People exposed to air
pollutants are said to commonly suffer from
pneumonia, asthma, heart, and lung
diseases.
WATER POLLUTION – refers to the
contamination of bodies of water usually by
human activities which negatively affect
living things.
Figure 3. Water Pollution
Causes of Water Pollution
▪ Inadequately treated domestic
wastewater or sewage
▪ Agricultural wastewater
▪ Industrial wastewater
▪ Leachate from solid waste can
contaminate groundwater tables and
surface waters
Effects of Polluted Water on Human Health
▪ It can cause diseases and bring
danger to humans that contain
bacteria and viruses that can threaten
or even be fatal to human life
▪ It greatly affects water ecosystems
Preventing Water Pollution
▪ Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints,
and medicines down the sink drain or
the toilet
▪ Use environmentally – safe cleaning
liquids at home and other public
places
▪ Do not overuse chemicals and
pesticides for your gardens and
farms. The runoff eventually goes to
bodies of water
LAND POLLUTION – is the contamination of
the land or soil by deposition of solid or liquid
waste materials. This also causes unsightly
conditions and nuisances especially by piles
of wastes or garbage scattered on the land.
Figure 4. Land Pollution
Causes of Land Pollution
▪ Wastes improperly disposed of on
land and overcrowded landfills
▪ Use of toxic fertilizers and pesticide
on land
▪ Deforestation and soil erosion
▪ Waste from industries dumped on soil
from mining operations
Page 3|6
Preventing Land Pollution
▪ Observe the 3 Rs – Reduce, Recycle
and Reuse
▪ Buy biodegradable products. Non-
biodegradable products end up in
landfills.
▪ Do not litter on the ground and
observe proper waste disposal.
▪ Reduce the use of pesticides and
fertilizers on plants.
▪ Create dumpsites away from
residential areas.
DISEASE CONTROL
In the Philippines, we have the
National Center for Disease Control and
Prevention under the Department of Health,
which leads in disease prevention and
control toward healthy families and
communities.
Government efforts and the help of
modern technology and medicine have done
a lot in eradicating diseases, but new strains
of these diseases occur.
Figure 5. Disease Control of Covid - 19 in the Philippines
DRUG ABUSE, PREVENTION AND
CONTROL
Drug abuse refers to the habitual
taking of addictive and illegal drugs and
substances. Use of illegal drug is against the
law and can potentially damage your life and
your future. It greatly affects your physical,
mental, social, and emotional health. A drug
– free community contributes not only to
peace and order but also to the health of a
community.
PEACE AND ORDER
A peaceful and safe community
encourages businessmen to invest resulting
to economic growth. This helps in the
financial stability of the people in the
community.
Environmental issues threaten our quality of
life. Worldwide issues concern population
growth, poverty and hunger, the greenhouse
effect and global warming, destruction of the
ozone layer, and destruction of rain forests.
Natural disasters like typhoons, floods,
landslides, earthquakes, and volcano
eruptions that frequently occur in the country
also contribute to environmental
degradation.
ILLEGAL MINING
Illegal mining activities lead to
deforestation and loss of biodiversity in land
and aquatic life.
Page 4|6
 Figure 6. Illegal Mining
PESTICIDE DRIFT
This is the movement of chemical
pesticides from the intended place to
another, caused by wind and other factors.
This causes accidental exposure of human,
animals, or plants to pesticides.
Figure 7. Pesticide Drift
DEFORESTATION
It is the result of widespread illegal
logging, agricultural expansion, and land
conversion for residential and commercial
purposes. This can lead to soil degradation,
decreased natural resources, reduced clean
air and water supply, landslides, near
extinction of rare animal and plant species,
and climate change.
Figure 8. Deforestation
OIL SPILL
It is a form of pollution where oil or
liquid petrol is released to the environment,
either on land, or on a body of water. Leaked
oils from fuel cargo vessel accidents and
fuel pipelines in the country have affected
marine life, human health, and livelihood.
Figure 9. Oil Spill
CORAL REEF DEGRADATION
Human activities, directly and
indirectly, contribute to the degradation of
coral reefs. Indirect damaging of coral reefs
includes silting of reefs, pollution by
nutrients that leads to algal growth,
overfishing, and global warming which
sickens and kills corals.
Page 5|6

Figure 10. Coral Reef Degradation
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change is brought about by
human activities, particularly fossil fuel
burning. The greenhouse gases emissions
from these activities, particularly carbon
dioxide, traps heat in the lower atmosphere
causing the temperature to rise.
Figure 7. Climate Change
Prevention and Management of
Environmental Health Issues
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid waste includes biodegradable,
recyclables, non – recyclable and non –
compostable, and special wastes like
household hazardous waste.
Solid waste management is a method
to minimize solid waste effect on human
health by proper segregation, effective
collection, transportation, and disposal of
wastes.
ZERO WASTE MANAGEMENT
Zero waste management is an
efficient way in making the most of recycling,
reducing waste, and ensuring products are
reused, repaired, or recycled back into the
environment and market.
COMMUNITY RECYCLING
It is a program supported by citizens
interested in a clean environment to
contribute improvement in the community. It
encourages and motivates people to
participate in recycling and make it a habit.
Page 6|6